ABOUT THE COMPETITION:

This annual contest seeks to recognize and reward promising young composers in Texas for exceptional work at the high school level. One 1st Prize winner will receive $300 and a recorded workshop, reading, or performance of the winning work by SHSU musicians. 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention(s) will receive a winner’s certificate, an SHSU campus tour, and a private lesson with an SHSU faculty composer. This contest is sponsored by Sam Houston State University and the friends and family of the competition’s second annual winner, Carson Thomas Miller.

To Enter:  Email your score in PDF format to the address below. Be sure to include the following information in the email submission: name, mailing address, contact phone number, high school you attend, current grade level. You are encouraged to include a MIDI realization or audio recording, although this is not mandatory. Any sound files must be in MP3 format and included in the same email as the score.

Guidelines:  Solo/chamber works (up to 8 players) for any combination of instruments and/or voice (including electronic and electro-acoustic works) will be considered. Works for large ensembles will not be considered. Each composer may submit only one composition (multi-movement works allowed).

Eligibility:  The Carson Thomas Miller Texas Emerging Composers Competition is open to any student who will be enrolled in a Texas high school during the 2025-26 school year.

Email entries (and questions) to:kdk001@shsu.edu (Dr. Kyle Kindred, coordinator)

Use subject: “2025-26 CTMTECC Submission” 

Submission Deadline: Feb 23, 2026

For more information, contact the School of Music at 936.294.1360. For a full calendar of College of Arts & Media events, visit shsu.edu/camevents.